Automatic document vending machine



I May 5, l931.

w. H. D. BROUSE 1,804,200

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet, 1

Filed June 12, 1926 s i I? 15 May 5, 1931.

w. H. o. BRousE AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT VENDING MACHINE Filed June 12, 1926v3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

j Inventor.

Will/am l/DBrouse w. H. D. BROUSE 1,804,200 AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT VENDINGMACHINE File d June 12, 192 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 5, 1931.

Inventor. W/Y/lmz fifflBroasc. 3

Y which may be sold to Patented May 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OFTORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA WILLIAM HENRY DAVENPORT BROUSE,

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT VENDING MACHINE Application filed June 12, 1926.Serial No. 115,605.

The principal objects of the invention are, to facilitate the sale ofshort form documents which are sold at a standard price, and to devisean apparatus which will be simple to operate and accurate anddependable.

A further object is to provide a machine which will accurately mark thedocument and retain a record of the time of purchase where such markingand recording is desirable.

The principal feature ofthe invention consists in the novel manner ofdelivering the documents accurately whereby the delivery mechanism iscontrolled by the movement of the document. v

A further important feature consists in the novel construction andarrangement of means for marking the document strip with a timeindication and then dividing said strip to re tain a record of the timeindication marked upon the document delivered to the purchaser.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the outer casing of themachine.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine showing the top turned back.

Figure 3 is a side elevation and part vertical section through the topof the casing, parts of the interior mechanism being broken away.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the machine with the cover turned backand the top plate shown in Figure 2 removed.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional View through the line 55 ofFigure 3.

Figure 6 is an elevational view with the back of the casing removedshowing the arrangement of the mechanism for controlling the feeding ofthe document strip.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a piece ofth'e document strip showing thepurchased portion detached therefrom.

There are several forms of short documents the public at standard savingcertificates and accident insurance policies. Some of these require norecord being kept and others require a record of the name and address ofthe purchaser and the time and date of purchase, and the present deviceis for the purose of automatically vending this class of ocument.

prices, such as The machine is located-in any suitable place where formsare to be dispensed and if it is to be used to deliver forms of valueautomatically it is provided with a coin receptacle 1 arranged at theforward part of the casing 2.

A plunger 3 is arranged adjacent to the coin receptacle and co-operateswith a coin controlled device 3' to eifect the release of the deliveringmechanism and the operation of the means for marking and recording ofthe time of purchase where such is used.

The plunger 3 is slidably supported in the front and rear partitions 4and 5 arranged within the casing 2 and the innermost end of the plungeris formed with a bevelled surface 6.

A bell crank 7 (see Figures 4 and 6) is pivotally mounted on a pin 8secured in the partition 5 and is formed with a bevelled surface 9which, when the plunger 3 is moved inwardly is engaged by the bevelledend 6 of the plunger thus swinging the bell crank on its pin 8. A lugprojection 10 extends upwardly above said bevelled surface portion onthe bell crank to engage the lug 11 on the hinge cover member 12 whichextends over I the opening 13 in the to of the casing 2.

. The cover 12 is pivotaLy mounted on a pin 14 and is held under thetension of a coiled spring 15 encircling the pin 1 1 so that when thebell crank is swung on its pivot the lug projection 10 on the bell crankis removed from engagement with the lug on the hinge cover and the coveris immediately opened by the action of the spring 15 to uncover the 8opening 13 for purposes to'be hereinafter set forth. v

A coiled tension spring 16 is secured to the horizontal leg of the bellcrank at one end and at the other end to a screw 17 in the partition 5so that the bell crank 7 is normally held in a position engaging the lu10 of the cover 12 to prevent the opening oi the latter and withits'bevelled surface 9 in position to be engaged by the bevelled end ofthe plung A ratchet dog 18 is the horizontal end of the bell crank and atension spring 19 is connected to the lower end thereof and to the screwsecuring the pivotally mounted on spring 16 to the bell crank so thatthe upper end of the dog is spring held to swing outwardly toward theside of the casing.

A lug 20 rigidly secured to the partition 5 engages the tail end of thedog 18 to limit the outward movement of the upper end.

A pin 21 is rigidly mounted in the partition 5 and a bar 22 formed witha longitudinal slot 23 is slidably and pivotally mounted on said pin.

An arm 24 extends from the up er side of the bar 22 and is provided witha downwardly extendingl tooth 26 which is adapted to engage with t eteeth of a spur gear 27 mounted on a shaft 28 which carries a rubberfeed roller 29.

A hand crank 30 is secured to the outer end the feed roller shaft torotate the feed roller.

An arm 31 extending downwardly from the slotted end of the bar 22fhassecured thereto one end of a coil tension spring 32, the other end ofwhich is secured to a stud 33 secured in the partition 5. This springmaintains a constant tension on the bar 22 to move it away from the gearwheel upon the tooth 26 being released from the gear wheel through thetilting of the bar. I

An arm 34 secured to the end of the bar 22 farthest from its pivotextends horizontally inward through an opening 36 in the partition 5 andupon the inner end thereof is secured a stud 37 which extends upwardlythrough an opening 38 in the top plate 39 arranged immediately below thecover 12 of the casing 2 to cooperate with a form sheet in a mannerpresently to be described.

A lug 35 formed by the upper end of the arm 34 extends inwardly over thetop of the bar 22 and cooperates with a rigid lug 40 secured to thepartition 5.

The documents to'be vended are arranged in the form of a continuousstrip of paper mounted on a roller 41 journalled between the partitions4 and 5. and this form strip extends upwardly from the roll outside ofthe guide bars 42 and 43 and over the top plate 39, the edges beinguided by the guide strips 44 on said plate. erforations 45 are arrangedat regular intervals in the form strip preferablyone perforation in eachform in a predetermined relation to the forms and these perforations areadapted to register with the stud 37 so that when the form strip isadvanced and one of the perforations comes into alignment therewith thestud 37 will project therethrough thus permitting the spring 32 to swingthe bar 22 and hold it in its tilted position on its pivot 21 so thatthe tooth 26 is forced into mesh with the gear 28 holding it locked sothat the crank handle 30 cannot be operated to advance the form stripfurther. This ensures that each form will be stopped at its properlocation in the 1 machine where it remains in readiness to be filledout, marked and dispensed as will be fully set forth hereafter.

The feed roll 29 is provided with a locking ratchet 46 to prevent itbeing turned backwards.

A roll 47 is provided for winding up the retained record strip in amanner presently to be described and a pulley on the end of the roll 29is connected with a pulley on the end of the roll 47 by a belt 48 tooperate the roll 47.

The paper strip will be suitably printed and the major portion of thewidth thereof is intended to form the document to be sold but a strip 49in which the perforations 45 are arranged is intended to be retained asa record. This strip is separated from the main sheet by means of acircular cutter 50 arranged upon the roller 51 which engages the rubbersurfaced feed roller 29 so that as the strip is advanced over the rubbersurfaced feed roller 29 the circular cutter 50 efl'ectively divides thestrip into two portions one of which is retained as a record strip inthe machine, it being wound onto the roll 47, while the remaining formportion is dispensed from the machine through a delivery slot 52 whichis arranged in the side wall of the casing and the upper edge of theslot is serrated to enable the form sheet being readily se arated whenit has been dispensed its full distance as determined by theco-operation of the stud 37 with the perforation in the succeedingformas formerly described.

The recording feature of the invention is here shown in the form of atiming mechanism having a air of arms 53 and 54, the one intended toindicate the day of the month and the other the hour of the day.

A suitable clock mechanism 55 is provided to operate these arms in aproper speed ratio.

The spacing of the indications on the reverse side of the paper sheet isillustrated in Figure 7 as ranging from 1 to 12 and 1 to 31 on each halfcircle on a median line extending through the axis in the direction oftravel of the aper.

The whole c ock work and printing mechanism is supported in a frame 56beneath the top plate 39 and is vertically slidable on rigid supports.

A shaft 57 is rigidly fastened between the end artitions 4 and 5 andsupports a pivotal bracfiet 58 which is provided with a pair of arms 59extending either side of the timing mechanism and underneath same sothat when the pivotal bracket member is swung on its pivot the arms 59engage the underside of the vertically slidable timing mechanism andmove the same upwardly.

In order to effect the swinging of the pivotal bracket member the latteris provided with an upwardly extending arm 59 rigidly secured theretowhich carries a roller 60 on j is available acircle for marking on itsupper end, which rollerengages a longitudinal cam surface 61 on theplunger 3. Thus when the plunger 3 is moved inwardly as heretoforedescribed, the cam surface 61 thereof engagesthe roller and swings thearm 59' thus tilting the bracket 58 so as to efiect the upward movementof the timing and printing mechanism where it is adapted tomark the formas will be presently described. Y

The top plate 39 has a circular opening 62 through which the rotatablearms 53 and 54 of the timer are adapted to project. These arms arepreferably provided with needle points which are distinctively arrangedthe one from the other so that it will be immediately known by seeingwhich form of perforation is on the retained recording portion of thestrip whether the impression has been made in the A. M. or P. M. Thisarrangement is desirable because'only half of thedoc-ument sold can beused and likewise only half a circle on the recording strip as theymedian line through the are separated on the previously set axis of theprinting device as forth. 7

A suitable pad 63 of a soft material, such as rubber, is embedded in arecess in the cover plate above the timer so that the needlesof thetimer arms in perforating the paper form sheet may embed themselves inthe soft rubber without injury.

In the use of this device a paper roll suitably printed is placed in themachine and the web is drawn around the rollers over the top plate andthe end of the recording strip, which is severed from the main documentportion by the cutter blade 50 is secured to the roller 47- When themechanism is ready for operation the upper end of the bell crank 7 restsunder the lug of the cover 12 and the bar 22 is in the forward positionwith the tooth portion 26 engaging and locking the gear wheel 28 toprevent the turning of the feed roller on which the gear wheel 28 ismounted. The stud 37 will also at this point prior to the operation ofthrough one of the perforations 45 in the form sheet so that the machineis locked.

When a coin has been deposited in the coin receptacle 1 the plunger '3may then be operated. Upon pushing in the plunger the cam 61 lifts thetiming mechanism upwardly punching the paper to indicate the time andConcurrentthe day when the action occurs.

ly with this operation the bevelled end 6 of theplunger swings the bellcrank 7 on its pivot releasing the cover 12 which springs open aspreviously described and exposes the paper of the recording stripthrough the open- 'ing 13 and the purchaser of the document writes hisname and address on the exposed portion of the form sheet.

to swing upwardly the machine be projecting reached it is necessary tolock the While the cover 12 is raised to expose the form sheet the feedroll cannot be operated to advance the form'sheet since the feed roll isstill locked from rotation by engagement of the tooth 26 of the bar 22with the gear wheel 28 so that it is necessary in order that thepurchaser may obtain his document that the cover cover moves the lug 11clear of the lug 10 on the bell crank 7 allowing the latter to swing onits pivot under the influence of the spring 16 pulling downwardly on theratchet dog 18 which engages the arm 34 and tilts the bar 22 on itspivot 21 thereby drawing the stud 37 out of the perforation in the papersheet into which it had extended in effecting the locking actionpreviously referred to. This tilting of the bar 22 against the action ofthe sprin 32 effects the lifting of the tooth 26 out o engagement withthe gear 27.

When the member 34 is thus moved downwardly so that the lug 35 clearsthe bottom edge of the lug 40 the bar 22 moves longitudinally throughthe pull of the spring 32 and carries the already retracted stud 37 toone side of the perforation in the paper and the bar 22 tilts upwardlybringing the stud 37 upwardly into contact with the underside of thepaper sheet adjacent to the perforation from which it has been withdrawnbut out of alignment therewith. The lug 35 is then, by reason of theengagement of the stud 37 with the surface of the form sheet, held inalignment with the outward side of the fixed lug 40 which it engages andthe tooth 26 is still out of engagement from the gear 27 due to thetilting action of the bar 22 above referred to. At this point the feedroll may now be turned by the crank 30 so that the feed roll feeds theform sheet out through the delivery slot. As soon as the nextperforation 45 in the succeeding form sheet moves into alignment withthe stud 37 as the strip is being advanced, the stud on entering thesame permits the bar 22 again to clear the lug 35 from the lug 40 andthe tooth 26 on the 'bar 22 is again brought into mesh with the gear 27due to the tilting'of the bar 22 on-its pivot by means of the spring 32.The bar then moves in unison with the paper until the end of the slot-23 engages the pin 21 and the movement of the feed roller is arrested.The form sheet has thus been projected the full length of the documentand it is then torn off by the operator and the machine is set foranother operation with a new form stopped in its proper relativeposition to receive its stamp impression and signature.

When the end of the form sheet has been machine against furtheroperation and in order to accomplish this result I provide a member 64pivoted on a horizontal pivot with a depending arm 65 which lightlyengages the paper strip at a suitable point in its travel between befirst closed. The closing of the the guide bars 42 and 43. While the armis engaged by the paper strip the horizontal mlelm er 64 is held clearof the plunger 3 but w en notch 66 is cut in the plunger into which themember drops in the return movement of the plunger in its lastoperation. The notch 66 is so arranged that the plunger will be lockedin such a position that another coin cannot be inserted.

The device is extremely simple and will not be liable to get out oforder. It will enable the selling of short term insurance policies andlike documents automatically so that they may be placed around inrailroad stations, ticket oflices, etc., and they will perform theirfunctions automatically on the placing of a coin therein by manipulationof the plunger and crank in the manner described. It will be understoodthat the marking mechanism may be dispensed with when documents notrequiring a record are to be sold and when such an arrangement isdesired it will merely be necessary to arrange the governingperforations 45 in the documents themselves.

The coin receptacle 1 is not essential to theoperation of the device andmay be dispensed with entirely if desired so that the plunger 3 may beoperated at any time Without the insertion of'a coin. This may beparticularly desirable when the device is being operated by anauthorized party rather than by the public.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a form vending machine, means fordelivering a form sheet from the machine, means for retaining a recordportion of said form sheet in the machine and means controlled by theform sheet for controlling the operation of the delivery means.

2. In a form vending machine, means for delivering a form sheet from themachine, means for retaining a record portion of said form sheet in themachine, and means controlled by the retained portion of the form sheetfor controlling the operation of the deliver means.

3. n a vending machine, adapted for use with a form sheet havingperforations disposed therein in definite relation to the forms printedthereon, of means for effecting the delivery of the form sheet from themachine,

means for retaining the perforated portion of said form sheet in themachine, means cooperating with the perforations in said perforatedortion for arresting the movement of the elivery mechanism, and meansfor releasing said arresting means.

4. A vending machine adapted for use with-a form sheet having regularlyspaced perforations therein, comprising a casing enclosing said formsheet, progression rolls 5 for moving said form sheet, means for rethestrip runs off the roll or breaks, the member 64 drops on to the plungerand 3.

taining the perforated portion of said form sheet 111 the machine, meansadapted to arrest said progressing rolls, means carried by saidarresting means co-operating with the perforations in the perforatedportion of the form sheet to control said arresting means, said lattermeans being adapted to engage the surface of the form sheet, means forwithholding said arresting means from operation while the means carriedby the arresting means is in contact with the surface of the form sheet,and means for releasing and re-settin said arresting means.

5. A ven mg machine adapted for use with a form sheet havingregularlyspaced openings therein, comprising a casing enclosing saidform sheet, progression rolls for moving said form sheet, a pivotalmember adapted to lock said rolls, a stud on said pivotal member adaptedto engage the form sheet andto project through the perforations thereinto allow said pivotal member to lock said rolls, means for releasingsaid locking member and withdrawing the stud thereon from theperforation in the form sheet, and means for resetting said lockingmeans.

6. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, having regularlyspaced" perforations therein, comprising a casing, a pair of rollersmounted in the casing and adapted to draw the form sheet across thecasing,, a pivotal latch member adapted to lock said rollers and havingan extension provided with a lug, a rigid lug on the casing adapted toengage the lug on said ratchet extension to prevent said ratchet fromoperating, an extension from said ratchet extension member adapted toextend into the path of movement of the form sheet and to engage theform sheet and to be held by said form sheet to retain said lugs inoperating engagement while the form sheet is being moved,

said perforations being adaptedto allow the extension member of saidratchet lock to pass therethrough and to release the engaging lugs, andmeans for returning said locking extension to its normal position.

7. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, comprising acasing, a pair of rollers adapted to progress the form sheet through thecasing, a gear wheel on one of said rollers, a longitudinally slidabletoothed member adapted to engage and lock said gear wheel, springactuated means for retracting said locking means, a lug rigid on thecasing adapted to engage said locking means to hold it in a lockedposition, a bell oank pivoted on the casing, a latch member pivoted onsaid casing, and means for operating said bell crank to release andreset said locking member.

8. A vending machine adapted for use with a record sheet, comprising acasing, a roller supporting said record sheet, a pair of toothed thecasin toothed w eel pivotally it upwardly to cause the lug thereon topass over the rigid lug on the engagement of the toothed end with thetoothed wheel, a bell crank pivoted on the casing, a latch membercarried by the bell crank adapted to engage the lug end of saidhorizontall moveable bar to draw it downwardly to e set thedisengagement of the toothed end from the toothed wheel, a springconnected with said bell crank, and a plunger adapted to operate saidbell crank and the latch carried thereby to operate said pivotal barfrom the released position and to effect the resetting thereof.

9. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, comprising acasing, a roller supported in the casing and carrying said form sheet, aplate within the casing over which the form sheet is directed, means formarking the-form sheet, an orifice in the top of the casing above saidplate giving access to the form sheet, a cover closing said orifice,means for opening said cover and allowing access to the form sheet,means for progressing the sheet, and means controlled by the movement ofthe sheet for controlling said progression. w

10. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet having regularlyspacedperforations, comprising a casing enclosing said form sheet,progression rolls for moving said form sheet, means for. marking theform sheet, means adapted to arrest said progressing rolls, meanscarried by said arresting 5 "means adapted to engage the form sheet, 4

means for withholding said arresting means from operation while themeans carried by thearresting means is in contact with the surface ofthe form sheet, means for releasing and re-setting said arresting means,and means for retaining a record of the marks made on the form sheet.

11. In a vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, a casing, aroller supported in said casing and carrying said form sheet, a plateextending across the casing below the top thereof and having an openingtherein, a marking device supported below said plate and adapted to beextended upwardly through said opening therein, means for moving saidmarking device upwardly, said form sheet being adapted to be passed oversaid late, means for drawing the form sheet over the plate, means forlocking'said drawing means, and means actuated by the means means,

sheet, and means supported in the frame formoving said marking deviceupwardly for releasing said locking means.

12. A vending machine adapted for use the form sheet a regulateddistance each operation of the machine, means for controlling themovement of said form moving means, a plunger adapted to release saidcontrolling a .marking device slidably arranged in said casing andadapted to be brought into engagement with the surface of the form1operatively arranged between said plunger and said marking device andadapted to 0perate said slidable marker, on the operation of saidplunger.

13. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, comprising acasing, a roller supported in said casing and carryin said form sheet,means for "supporting said form sheet in a position to be marked, meansfor marking said form sheet, a pair of rollers adapted to engage anddraw the form sheet over the marking surface, and a knife on one of saidrollers adapted to slit the form sheet to divide the marked space on theform between the marks.

14. In a vending machine for use with a form sheet, means for guidingsaid form sheet, means for progressing said form sheet, means forcontrolling said progressing means, a pivotal member extending oversaid-controlling means and having a dependent portion engaging the formsheet, and a notch formed in the controlling means adapted to engagesaid pivotal member to lock the controlling means on the breaking of theform sheet.

15. In a vending machine for use with a form sheet and a recordingstrip, a marking .deviceadapterl to ,mark said form sheet and recordingstrip simultaneously, means for moving said marking device into contactwith said form sheet and recording strip, means for moving the formsheet and recording strip, and means controlled by the operation of saidmarking device for controlling the movement of said form sheet andrecording strip.

16. In a vending machine for use with a form sheet and a recordingstrip, a marking device adapted to mark said form sheet and recordingstrip simultaneously, -means for moving said marking device into contactwith said form sheet and recording strip, means for moving the formsheet and recording strip, and means controlled by the operation of saidmarking device for controlling the operation ofsaid latter moving means.

17. In a vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet,--a markingdevice adapted to mark said form sheet with dual marks,

means for moving said marking device to its means for moving saidmarking position,

for dividing the marked form sheet, means form sheet between the dualmarkings, and means controlled by the operation of said marking meansfor controlling the discharge 01f one of the divided portions of theform 5 eet.

18. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, comprising amarking device, means for moving said form sheet across said markingdevice, means for bringing said marking device into marking contact withsaid form sheet, means for dividing said form sheet along a lineintersecting the marked portion of said sheet, and means controlled bythe operation of the marking means for controlling the operation of saiddividing means.

19. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, comprising amarking device, means for moving said form sheet across said markingdevice, means for bringing said marking device into marking contact withsaid form sheet, means operatively connected with said moving means fordividing said form sheet along a line intersecting the marked portion ofsaid sheet, and means controlled by the operation of the marking meansfor controlling the operation of said moving means.

20. A vending machine adapted for use with a form sheet, comprising acasing, a plunger slidably arranged in said casing, means forprogressing the form sheet, means controlled by said plunger forcontrolling the movement of the form sheet, a bell crank pivoted on thecas' g and operatively engaging said regulating means, a bevelledsurface on said plunger adapted to engage said bell crank to operate thesame, and means operated by said plunger for marking the form s eet.

21. In a vending machine for use with a form sheet, means for guidingsaid farm sheet, means for progressing said form sheet, means forretaining a record portion of said form sheet in the machine, means forcontrolling the progression of the form sheet, and means co-operatingwith the retained portion of said form sheet for locking said progressmgmeans.

WILLIAM H. D. BROUSE.

